Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-08-28

mad?
att is strange offer, know" he wen
on, 81 strange offer, and You have probabl.
never heard q more remarkable one. Bu
1t is genuine. will buy your appetite o
you" trs
"But my-buy my appetite2
Nothing easier. Read this.
He gave me the paper which he had lat
ON the table, and prepared IN readiness,
suppose, for me. 1t was as follows:
II; Luke Lucraft, being in sound mine
and in good health, and Of the mature az
Of "a, do voluntarily and of my own ire
win and accord agree and promise 10 reslgl
my appetite entirely and altogether TOR tn
use OF Ebenezer Grumbelow from the Ga.
and hour of the execution Of this deed. II
return whereof agree to accept MONTH.
allowance of ESQ, also to date from Tn
moment of signature, with sum OF zoo .
be placed in my hands.
promise also that / viii carefully stud!
70 preserve by regular habits and exercis
the gift of generous appetite; that VII
not work immoderately, sit up late, prac
tice vicious courses, or do anything tina
nav tend to impair the regular recurrence
of a healthy and vigorous hunger"
Then followed place for the signatur'
and one for the witnesses.
''You SEE" he went on, II ask for N
unpleasant condition. give you FREE
life, coupled with the simple condition o
ordinary care. Do you agree?"
81 hardly know; it is so sudden"
Come, eome''-he spoke with harsh
ness quite new-".come, let us have M
nonsense of that sort. Do You agree?"
read it over again.
"Give me a little time" said. LIE
me. reflect till tomorrow morning"
'sRefectp His face flushed burple
and his bloodshot eyes literally glared
Reflect. What the devil does the boy
want to reflect about? Has he got
penny, friend, or q chance in the whole
world? will give him five minutes
come. He rose up and stood before me
As looked in his face q curious dimnesS
came over my eyes; he seemed to recedt
before me; he disappeared altogether
When heard him speak again his voice
sounded far, far off, but thin and clear, as
if it came through some long tube. Luke
Lucraft," it said, 'see yourself"
Yes, / saw myself, and though outside
OF what / saw, felt the same emotions as
if had been the actual performer in the
scenes witnessed.
was standing where the old gentleman
met me, starving still, and suffering pangs
far worse than those under which groaneC
at 3 o'clock. The day was advanced; the
diners had all gone away, and the dining
room walters were putting up the shutters
| spoke to one of them timidly. j tolC
him had eaten nothing since the morning
and begged him for q plate of broken vic
tuals. He looked in my face, called 8
brother servant, and they kicked me from
the door. People were rougher in London
fifty years ago. Then / skunk away
and wandered somewhere amon9
the winding streets and lanes Of the ole
city. London at night was not so empty
and deserted rs it now il, and the streets
had people on them. Some of them were
well dressed-the wealthy merchants haC
not, even then, all lett of living in thu
city; some were clerks going home; some
were women out for an evenings walk
The bells rung ont the hours from the city
clocks, and / crept along the walls wonder
ing what would become of me and how
should find an end of my present misery.
Then / begged. Took of my hat ant
held it in my hand while asked for some
tning-anything-the smallest coin tina
would get piece OF bread.
The men passed me by with pitiless and
unbelieying eyes. Heavens! if they had
been hungry once, only once, in all theil
lives, they would never again have re
fused the petition of beggar, ever
though he was the most lying mendican
who ever disgraced the words of charity
which passed his lips. But the gave MI
nothing.
The women edged away from me ant
passed on the other side if timidly
pressed my claim. They had. nothing t.
fear from me. At last | asked a girl
She was more unfortunate than myself
but she was not hungry, and she gave mt
a shilling.
Then found shop open, and bought {
plate of meat. That SPENT saw mysel
Sinking, ashamed and wretehed. agar
along the cold and empty street. When
could walk no more | found myself IL
Covent Garden market, and threw mysel
under shelter of a roof at least, among thu
stalks and leaves and straw which Uttered
the place.
awoke early, and hungry again. I ross
and resumed my miserable walk.
Hone by this time was dead within me
could think of nothing but my intoler
able hunger; could feel nothing but thu
pain which would not leave me; could loOl
at nothing but food in the window
/ begged again, and begged all day with
ont success.
1t was a rougher time, that, than tn,
present. More than one man laid hi
stick across my back with an impatient ad
monition TO get to work, you lazy rogue
Bus was too feeble to retaliate or remOn
strate. Was there no charity in the world
passed other beggars in the streets wh'
looked fat and comfortable. People CAV
them money, but they would give IN
none. The time wore on, and my craving
for food became irresistible.
I passed shop which had tray outsiG
of baked potatoes. The owner had hi
back to me. stole one. Yes, i stole one
No one saw me. He did not see me as
skunk past him with guilty face, ant
swiftly sped round the nearest corner to ca
the stolen morsel.
What is the use of single baked pota
to? Presently / returned to the sam
place with the intention of taking another
But they were all gone. / went on, look
ing for another provision shop. i came Il
a place where hot, smoking ssusages wer
bubbling in pan over charcoal fire. TIL
shop stood at corner. There was onl,
q girl Winding it. l deliberately wake,
in, took sausage from the pan, hot as j
was, and stepped ont again before her as
constituent even prompted her to cry out
n The time seemed intolerably long. AL
ehese scenes passed before me, not as tn,
quick and steady fight OF the rapid!
falling moments, but as if the agony am
the shame were deliberately heightened
out.
Then came third time when l stole
madden d by the dream of hanger. Thi
time was detected, pursued and appre
hended. The misery and shame Of tn
hour when stood before the magistrate
in that horrible vision of possible future
| cannot even yet forget With this ;